Visible index follower block



Nov. 7, 1939. F. L. w. LINK 2,178,638

VISIBLE INDEX FOLLOWER BLOCK Filed Dec. 19, 1958 Had. mekq azew A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1939 arises VISIBLE INDEX FQLLOWER BLUCK Forest L. W. Link, Silverton, Ohio, assignor to The Globe-Wernicke Company, Norwoool, able, a corporation of Ohio lino 7 Claims.

This invention relates to visible card indexes, and more particularly to the follower blocks employed therein. Visible indexes are generally mounted in flat trays, so that when the trays are Briefly, in the practice of my invention, I provide a shallow drawer iii of conventional construction, and having overhanging longitudinal side flanges H. The cards i2 are mounted in 5 pulled out from the cabinet or the like, an array conventional manner in the clips it which are 5 of index cards becomes visible. The cards are p s ly arran 0 t e ba it W c sXtshd generally held in placeby a follower block which r n v r ly of he y nd W s ends fit under is mounted in the tray. It is to this mountin the flanges i l. The follower block, indicated that my invention is particularly directed. n r y at is fo h m p r f v n- I th t, as f s I m a r follower tional construction. It is preferably made of 10 blocks have been mounted in the trays in grooves sheet e formed s s to give it a Wedge running the length thereof along the side edges. s ped C fi l a OH.

They have been mounted in such a way th t the At the thin end of the follower block, I provide were capable of sliding movement in one directhe spri g steel members WhOse p p and 15 tion but not in the other. The tend nc th function will be described more in detail herein- 15 fore, was that the follower blocks would graduafter. The members is are somewhat wider at ally slide along the trays in the direction in which their d as in at d at ts and lfib, and are they were free to move, and thus cause the index retained y turned e ps W of th aterial cards to become jammed together. This tendenof the follower block 5 5 which embrace the mom- 0 cy, of course, is objectionable. It is desirable bers it along their reduced central portions. that the follower blocks b adjust ble alon d Between the members it, the follower block has removable from, the trays; but it is equally dethe turned Over portion Which gives added sirable that, when once inserted into, and ad- Strength a rigidity to th u ture. The ends justed along, the trays, they be firmly fixed ltd of the members It are adapted to engage against movement longitudinally thereof. under h flanges as w ll pp r s his d 25 With the above considerations in mind, it is an Scription proceedsobject of my invention to provide a mounting for At the thick end I p v the o ventional the follower blocks in visible indexes, which will Structure including t e pins IQ, of generally U permit of easy insertion in, removal from, and pe Which are embraced, respectively, y the djustment along, a tray, but in which the foltwo arms of the more or less U shaped spring 30 lower block will nevertheless be firmly held in 2s. Th u u fi r p n BI s p vide place when adjusted. It is a further object of w y the p d t ns f the members my invention to provide such a mounting, which 59 y be grasped and p s ward each will be extremely simple in construction and inother, thus retracting the ts di ends We.

expensive to manufacture, It will be clear that the ends 99a are adapted to 35 These, and other objects of my invention, sngags Under the flanges which will be described hereinafter, or which will The Width of the ends @561 0f the spring memappear to one skilled in the art upon reading b s 511011, and they are sp d at such these specifications, I accomplish by that certain a angle, that W y are ed under the construction and arrangement of parts, of which fla H as shown in 5 downward p ure 40 I shall now describe an exemplary embodi t in the direction of the arrow must be exerted in Reference is now made to the drawing, forming order 170 bring the thick end of the follower 101001; a part hereof, and in which: into a position where the members lilo may be Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tray showing a retracted and then permitted to engage under the number of index cards and a follower block flanges H. The spring members It are thus 45 therein; torsionally stressed with the result that they are Fig. 2 is a plan View of a follower block; firmly wedged under the flanges l i. In order to Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same, adjust the follower longitudinally of the tray, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; the members 159a must be retracted and the fol Fig. i is a partial cross-sectional View of the lower block raised to the position of Fig. 5 so as 50 same, taken on the line l--t of Fig. 2, and with a to relieve the torsional stress on the spring mom-- part broken away to show the construction; and hers it. Then, while the member i5 is main- Fig. 5 is a partial elevation of a tray with parts tained in that position, it may be slid to any dein section, showing the manner of insertion of a sired position in the tray, and there firmly fixed, follower block. as described above. 55

- It will be clear that modifications maybe made I believe'to be new and ters Patent, is:

' 1. A follower block for a visible index, comprising two pairs of tray engaging elements, one pair of said elements being retractiblewith respect to said block, and the other pair being non-retractible andftorsionallyresilient. I

said flanges. i

in my preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I, therefore, do, not intend in any way to limit myself except as pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

, Havingnow fully described my invention, what desire tosecure by Let- 2. In combination witl a visible,inde XQtrayQa ,f ollowerblock having two pairs of tray engaging elements, one pair of saidelements' beingrea tractible with respectto'said block, and the other pair being non-retractible and torsionally, resilient.

3. In combination with a visible index tray having overhanging flanges along its longitudinal edges,a follower block'having two pairs of el ements toengage under said flanges, one pair of said elements being retractible to clear "said flanges, and the other pair being ,non-retractible I iand'engagmg S flanges d r a torsionalstress V whensaidfirst pair of elements, is engaged under combination with a" visible index my having overhanging flanges along its longitudinal edges, a follower block having two pairs of elements to engage under said flanges, one pair of said elements comprising flatspring steel pieces cangularly disposed with respect to said block and of a width sufficient that they must be torsionally stressed inorder to engage'the otherpairof I I elementsfunder said flanges. g 7

5. In combination with a visible index tray having overhanging flanges along its longitudinal edges, a' follower block having two pairs of ele- 'mentsto engage undersaid flanges, one pair of m'said, elements comprising "flat spring steel pieces angularly disposed with respect: to said, block and efya width sufiicient that-they mustlbe I torsionally' stressed in order to engage the other pair of elements under saideflanges, said other pair of elements being retractible'to clear said T flanges forinsertion, removaLand adjustment of said block.

6. A follower block according to claim 1, said I a block being of taperingcross section.

'7. A follower block according to claim L'said v isms L; W;

blockhavin'gia substantiallysmoothtop face; 1 a 

